


Take Your Time

by TheAsexualofSpades



Series: Quarantine Drabbles [78]
Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Anti-Android Language (Detroit: Become Human), Anti-Android Sentiments (Detroit: Become Human), Banter, Domestic Fluff, Elijah Kamski & Gavin Reed are Siblings, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gavin Reed Being Less of an Asshole, Gavin Reed Not Being an Asshole, Gavin Reed Redemption, Gavin's cat is named Mia, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Perkins is a dickbag, Pre-Relationship, RK900 is named Nines, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues, can be platonic or romantic you decide, no this isn't just me projecting my ace/aro confusion onto Nines what are you talking about, talking about feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-10
Updated: 2020-06-10
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:34:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24646525
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAsexualofSpades/pseuds/TheAsexualofSpades
Summary: Gavin knows he's been an asshole to androids before. And now that he knows Nines has been so worried about it, he's made a promise to himself to be better about it. And if that means talking about feelings and complicated human stuff with an android, that's what he's gonna do. Because he cares about his partner, damnit, and he's not just gonna give that up.Part 2 of 'Only skin deep' but can be read on its own.
Relationships: Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900, Hank Anderson & Connor & Upgraded Connor | RK900 & Gavin Reed, Hank Anderson & Upgraded Connor | RK900, Upgraded Connor | RK900 & Gavin Reed, Upgraded Connor | RK900/Gavin Reed
Series: Quarantine Drabbles [78]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677655
Comments: 7
Kudos: 172





	Take Your Time

**Author's Note:**

> more of this! Thanks to ArtsyNeurotic and 3sarahtop for the ideas for this one! please lemme know if you guys want more stuff, I do take requests for these things!!

Fandom: DBH

Prompt: “It’s alright, I’m right here.”

* * *

“Oh my god,” Gavin cackles, “look at their fucking faces."

Nines pauses the recording, zooming in on Connor and Hank on the opposite side of the precinct. Hank looks like he’s about to spit his coffee all over his monitor, his eyes bugging out of his head. Connor’s caught in the middle of what’s either surprise or disgust. Probably a mixture of both.

Gavin leans back against the couch, throwing his head back and laughing. “Holy fuck, Nines, you gotta send me that. That’s my new lock screen.”

Nines just rolls his eyes fondly and two seconds later, Gavin’s phone buzzes.

“And…done.” He glances up to see Nines still staring at him. “Come on, you gotta admit, it was hilarious.”

After their conversation, Nines had walked into the precinct the next morning, slightly surprised to see Gavin there already. Gavin had glanced up and greeted him with his customary ‘tin can.’

What everyone else in the precinct hadn’t expected was for Nines to then go: “Flexible container of mostly water.”

Hence the incredible reaction by Hank and Connor, hence Gavin’s new lock screen.

“It was amusing,” Nines admits, much to Gavin’s delight.

“Hah! See? Knew you’d come around.” Gavin’s boots hit the coffee table with a loud _thunk,_ even if they leave it a second later when Mia jumps into his lap, claws out. “Hey! Fucking ow!”

Mia, of course, just meows regally at him and curls up in his lap, kneading his legs with her claws. Gavin curses at her a few more times before resigning himself to his fate. Of course, about three seconds later, Mia decides he’s not good enough and jumps onto Nines, purring contentedly.

“Traitor,” Gavin mutters, even as he also leans against Nines’ shoulder.

Nines chuckles, petting Mia with one hand and moving his other arm so Gavin’s more comfortable. “I imagine that might be more convincing if you did not have your head resting against me.”

“Fuck off,” Gavin yawns, “‘m tired. Lemme rest.”

“It would be more comfortable if you bothered to get to your bed, Gavin.”

“You asking?”

See, now, with literally anyone else, Gavin would get a snappy retort _or_ his head promptly shoved off the shoulder in question. What he gets instead is a rush of warmth that makes his cheek burn and his pillow going stiff as a board.

“…Gavin, I—wait—“

Gavin lifts his head and he has to laugh at the fucking _ridiculous_ look on Nines’ face right now. Between Connor and Hank and now this, it’s just a good-reactions day all around. And yeah, he’ll be honest, part of him still struggles to remember that Nines isn’t gonna bite back at _everything_ he does with a quip. But it’s kinda worth it for the bright fucking blue face in front of him right now.

“Awww, look at you,” Gavin teases, which only makes Nines blush harder, “that really all it takes?”

Nines just stares at him, his mouth forming shapes but no sounds coming out.

“Relax, Nines,” Gavin says, laughter trailing off, “don’t worry ‘bout it. I ain’t expecting you to do that. Plus,” he continues, getting himself resettled, “the last thing I wanna do right now is give Tina the satisfaction.”

Nines relaxes…sort of. At the very least, Mia starts purring again which means he’s doing whatever fancy android bullshit he does to win her favor—fucking bitch cat— and Gavin’s not lying against a sheet of metal anymore, but he can tell something’s still wrong. Look, he may not be the most emotionally intelligent person in the world, but Nines is his goddamn partner.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” Gavin says, not moving his head from Nines’ shoulder. Pretty sure if he raises his head and tries to look at Nines right now Nines’ll shut him out. He can wait. He’s good at being patient.

When he has to be.

He’s rewarded a few moments later when he feels Nines’ jaw move against his hair.

“I’m sorry.”

“You done something wrong?”

“I…I don’t know what you _want._ ”

Okay, no, Nines sounding like that means Gavin’s gonna sit up now. Sure enough, Nines’ LED’s going fucking bananas, switching between red and yellow so fast Gavin’s almost nauseous looking at it. Instead, he focuses on the way Nines; jaw in clenched worryingly tight. He hasn’t seen it do that since…since…

_Fucking android prick, always looking like he’s pissed at everything, Honestly, the least Cyberlife could fuckin’ do is make the things less fuckin’ obnoxious._

_Or Fowler could’ve assigned literally anyone else as his partner._

_Balling up the piece of paper, Gavin chucks it at the thing, smirking when it looks up at him. The smirk that immediately disappears when it opens its fucking mouth. Plastic prick…_

_“At the very least you can stop lookin’ down on all of us, you gotta at least pretend you ain’t so much of a prick.”_

_“I cannot do that.”_

_“The hell you can, you prick. Ain’t Cyberlife programmed you to be able to do all sorts of shit? Or is being an asshole so embedded in your protocols or whatever?”_

_As it turns out, no, no it fucking isn’t. No, instead, Cyberlife, the absolute fuckbags, have fucking built collars for their plastic toys that make it hard for them to move. And yeah, okay, Gavin doesn’t like the fact that he’s got an android for a partner, but he’ll be fucking damned if he’s gonna be complicit in letting it basically torture itself to do its fucking job._

_Judging by the relief that flashes across its face when Gavin throws the collar away in disgust, it really must’ve been uncomfortable._

_“Don’t wear that shit anymore.”_

_And yeah, he looks better without it._

“Nines, did that collar Cyberlife made you wear make it hard for you to talk as well as move?”

NInes looks at him in surprise, his LED settling on yellow. “…yes, it did.”

Gavin curses under his breath. “Fucking Cyberlife…what the hell were they thinking…”

“…how did you…”

Gavin gestures to Nines’ jaw. “When you had your freaked-the-fuck-out face on, you looked like you did with that thing still ‘round your neck. Figured it must’ve been keeping your jaw shut.” He clenches his fist and looks away. “They tried to fuckin’ _silence_ you, Jesus Christ…”

He looks back to see Nines’ LED is still yellow, but there’s a softness in his look now. Gavin’s anger dissipates when he sees Nines looking a lot calmer.

“That’s better,” he says quietly, reaching out to lightly tap Nines’ shoulder. “Now, you wanna tell me what got you so uppity?”

Nines glances away, Gavin watching the roll of his throat as his LED cycles red once.

“I don’t know what you want from me, Gavin,” Nines settles on eventually, “I…I am happy to try and be whatever you want in whatever capacity I can, but you must _tell_ me.”

Ah.

“This because of my stupid joke?”

Nines just nods, blue covering his cheeks again. Part of Gavin’s heart clenches at the sight of his normally unflappable partner looking so upset, the other part hopelessly endeared at the sight of this big, tough android so undone by a few words. Pushing aside that part of him, Gavin shuffles closer, bumping Nines’ arm with his elbow.

“I don’t know what to do,” he mumbles.

“Do?”

It’s a reporter’s technique, a therapist’s technique, an interrogator’s technique. Gavin’s sure Nines knows exactly what he’s doing. But regardless, it works.

“I…I can be your partner as a detective,” Nines says, finally looking at Gavin with an expression that looks way to unsure to be _his_ Nines, “and I can be your friend. And…if you want, I can…try to be…more…”

Okay, no android should look that fucking adorable, Gavin decides when Nines looks like a fucking schoolboy with his bright blue blush and wide-open eyes. He opens his mouth to respond when Nines hurries on.

“But I don’t know how to _do_ that, I—I don’t understand—humans are so _complicated._ ” The words come out in a rush, ending in an exasperated sigh that almost sends Mia off of Nines’ lap. “There are so many rules that have no internal consistency and you don’t even agree amongst yourselves, the algorithm isn’t even—“

“Hey,” Gavin calls, even as the corners of his mouth tug up in a smile at Nines’ frustrated ramblings, “take it easy over there. Don’t want you to burn yourself out.”

Nines sighs, taking a moment to play with Mia, still lazing around in his lap. Gavin watches with a slight smile on his face as Nines holds one of his hands out, letting his skin deactivate where Mia bats at him. She seems to take it as a game, seeing how much of his hand she can turn white at once, pawing at him until she gets her arms around his hand and pulls it to her like a prize, purring contentedly when he gently turns it in her grasp, rubbing her tummy. Gavin looks back at Nines. His LED is still yellow.

He nudges Nines’ shoulder again. The android looks at him like he’s still scared. Gavin hates it.

“What do you want, Nines?” Gavin raises an eyebrow when Nines pales. “Not many people’ve asked you that, huh?”

Nines shakes his head. “I…I want…”

“Take your time, Mia’s not gonna let you go anywhere any time soon.”

Nines bites his lip and _god_ whoever programmed androids with human-like mannerisms deserves a fucking fruit basket.

Unless it’s his brother. Then he can fuck off.

“I want you,” Nines confesses shyly, looking over at Gavin in a way that makes his chest clench, “in whatever capacity you will give me.”

“Damnit, Nines,” Gavin mutters, “should’ve known you wouldn’t make this easy on me.”

He knows he’s said the wrong thing the second it comes out of his mouth and poor Nines looks like he’s been shot again. Gavin’s never been more upset than when his _partner_ got shot in front of him and his instinctive reaction was to try and get away from Gavin, and learning it was because he didn’t wanna upset Gavin…

No. Do that later. Focus on Nines.

“If—if you don’t want—“

“No, I _do,_ ” Gavin says quickly, cutting Nines off and scrubbing a hand over his face, “I do, it’s just…I, uh, didn’t expect you to say it like that.”

Nines raises an eyebrow. “Did my words have an effect on you?”

“Yeah, you could fucking say that.”

“Then perhaps next time, you will not be so quick to tease _me._ ”

“Yeah, yeah,” Gavin mutters, halfheartedly shoving Nines’ shoulder, “I get it.”

At the very least, Nines looks a little less unsure of himself. Gavin glances at his LED. Still yellow.

“I ain’t gonna rush you into anything,” he says finally, “and I sure as hell ain’t gonna take advantage of the fact that you don’t really understand shit yet. _You_ gotta figure out what you want and we go from there, yeah?”

Nines nods, even if he still looks unsure. “And if what I want is…more?”

Gavin smiles, reaching out slowly, telegraphing his movements so Nines can stop him if he wants, and settles his hand on Nines’ shoulder. “Then you’ll know where to find me.”

A small smile tugs at the corner of Nines’ mouth. “Even if it means giving Officer Chen the satisfaction.”

Gavin’s eyebrows shoot up. “Jeez, Nines, slow down.” Not that he _minds_ too much, but… “Can you even…do that?”

“Cyberlife did equip me with genitalia—“

“Holy fucking _shit,_ dude, why in the fuck—“

“—but I have little interest in using them,” Nines finishes, looking a little ashamed.

Gavin frowns. “Why you got your sad face on?”

“I’m not switching faces, Gavin.”

“Then tell me why yours looks sad right now.”

Nines shrugs. “Isn’t sexual intercourse important for humans? Would my…inability to function not make me—“

“Imma stop you right there,” Gavin says, holding up a hand, “because you’re gonna say something about you being an android makin’ you less than human and I ain’t here for it.”

Nines’ mouth snaps shut. Gavin nods in approval.

“Now, in answer to your question, yeah, sex is important for humans.” He squints. “At least we’re told it is.”

“Is it not a signifier of a successful romantic relationship?”

Gavin scoffs. “Hell no. I know plenty of people that have a shit-ton of sex and it ain’t more than that. Also, people who have shitty relationships with plenty of sex. It ain’t an indicator of the quality of a relationship.”

“Then what is the difference between a romantic relationship and a strong friendship?”

“Shit, Nines, I dunno.” Gavin throws himself against the back of the couch, covering his face with his hands. “Humans make no goddamn sense, okay? And don’t expect me to figure it out either.”

“Relationships are confusing.”

“Here, here,” Gavin groans. “The point is, you not wanting to have sex ain’t an issue. Don’t worry about it. There are humans like that too.”

“There are?”

“Uh-huh. There’s a word for it.” Gavin lifts his hands off his face. “Asexual.”

“Asexual,” Nines repeats, testing the word out in his mouth.

“Or ace for short.”

“Hmm.” Nines’ LED cycles yellow again, even though this time Gavin’s pretty sure it’s his default analysis yellow. “And what if…what if I cannot differentiate between romantic and platonic feelings?”

“There’s some shit called ‘alternous attraction’ which basically means you got no idea what the fuck’s going on.”

“Ah. That…is useful.”

“Humans need more words for not knowing what the fuck is going on,” Gavin grumbles, pinching the bridge of his nose.

How the fuck he ended up discussing feelings with his android partner, for instance.

“Thank you, Gavin,” Nines says softly, prompting Gavin to look up at him. His LED spins blue, blue, blue.

“Aw, you’re welcome,” Gavin mutters, clapping Nines on the shoulder, “’s the least I can do after I made you freak out so bad ‘bout me being anti-android.”

“But you have altered your perspective based on new information,” Nines says, “isn’t that worth something too?”

Gavin shrugs. “I’m trying, okay? I may be an asshole but I’m not 100% a dick.”

“Why do I presume that is a reference to something?”

Gavin’s eyes light up. “Dude, have you not seen _Guardians of the Galaxy?”_

“I have not seen many things,” Nines says dryly, “I haven’t been activated very long and Connor and Hank are not in the habit of regularly watching anything other than wrestling and Studio Ghibli.”

Gavin rushes to get the TV remote. “Okay, we’re gonna watch the _entire_ MCU then. You’re fuckin’ missing out.”

“Does this mean—“ Gavin’s attention snaps to Nines looking hopefully at him— “we’re friends now?”

Gavin pauses. “You wanna?”

Nines nods, smiling. “I…I want to be friends.”

“Then buckle up, tin can. We got work to do.”

“I don’t think this counts as work, Gavin.”

“My ass it does.”

“Wait, your ass counts as work? Is this another innuendo?”

“No, no! It’s just—you shit.”

“I have no idea what you are referring to.”

“The hell you don’t, you’ve got the biggest shit-eating grin I’ve ever seen.”

“I am not eating—“

“Shut up, Nines.”

“Whatever you say, Gavin, though I will remind you that we have work tomorrow.”

Gavin groans, pulling up the movie catalog. “That means you ain’t gonna let us stay up all night, doesn’t it?”

“Correct.”

Gavin rolls his eyes, only to glance down in surprise when Nines’ hand covers his.

“But…that means I will have to come back, right? To finish?”

Gavin squeezes Nines’ hand tight. “Sure does.”

“Then that’s okay.”

To make Nines happy—and Gavin not sleep deprived— they make it through _Iron Man, Iron Man 2,_ and _Thor._ Nines goes home with a final pat to Mia and a smile to Gavin, making him promise to go to sleep. Gavin does, just ‘cause he actually wants to be able to keep up with Nines tomorrow.

Of course, when he walks into the precinct, his good mood evaporates.

“What the fuck is _he_ doing here,” he mutters to Tina when he spots Agent Perkins in Fowler’s office.

“No fucking clue.” Tina slides him a cup of coffee. She jerks her head toward Hank, who’s glaring a hole in the glass. “Ask him.”

Gavin nods distractedly, making his way over to Hank’s desk, ignoring the confused look he gets when he leans against the cabinet.

“Why is that FBI bastard here?”

Hanks huffs. “Think he’s after Nines.”

Gavin’s blood runs cold. “Ex-fucking-scuse me?”

Hank glances up at him, quirking an eyebrow at the look Gavin’s sure he’s got on his face. “Fowler mentioned the feds didn’t think we need two androids in the department. And Nines is the more advanced model.”

“So they’re gonna fucking ship him off to the feds like a goddamn—“

“I’m sure he’ll get a say,” Hank cuts him off, turning in his chair to face Gavin who’s about to throttle his coffee cup. “Though I’m not sure why _you_ care so much.”

“He’s my goddamn partner, you bastard,” Gavin spits, “of course I care.”

“Uh-huh.” Hank crosses his arms. “And if I remember correctly, you were the one who screamed like a baby in Fowler’s office for two hours when you got that assignment.”

_Two can play at that game, you asshole._ “And you’re the one who shoved Connor up against that wall and threatened to dump every single fucking android into a dumpster and burn the whole thing to the ground.”

“He’s right,” Connor pipes up from the other desk, “you did, Hank.”

Hank glances at Connor. “Seriously? You’re with him?”

Connor shrugs. Hell, Gavin’s surprised too.

“He tried to shoot you, Con.”

“So did you, Hank.” Connor looks at Gavin. “But he’s been good to Nines. He told me.”

Hank looks Gavin up and down.

_Why the fuck do I feel like I’m being cross-examined by a protective dad here?_

_Oh fuck, I am, aren’t I?”_

“For what it’s worth,” Hank says, looking back at Perkins, “I ain’t thrilled about it either. Last thing I want is anyone working for that asshole. But,” he sighs, “it’s a good gig. And if he takes it, I’ll be happy for him.”

Gavin sighs. “Yeah, I guess.”

He feels Hank and Connor’s stares on him as he makes his way back to his desk. He’ll be happy for Nines, sure, but that means no more throwing paper at work. No more snappy quips thrown back and forth. No more working together at his apartment. Mia’s gonna throw a fit.

“Detective?”

Gavin’s head shoots up to see Nines staring down at him curiously.

“You did get some sleep last night, didn’t you?” Nines’ tone is light but his face is concerned. “You look upset.”

“Hey!”

They both turn. Fowler’s yelling at them across the office. He points at Nines.

“Need a word with you.”

Nines glances down at Gavin before moving to listen. Without thinking, Gavin grabs his wrist. Nines pauses, concern becoming more apparent.

“Gavin, what’s—“

“Stay,” Gavin pleads, watching Nines’ skin recede under his hand, “I—I want you to stay.”

“I have to go see what the captain wants,” Nines says gently, making no move to pull away from Gavin’s grasp.

“I know, I know, I just…” Gavin looks up at him, not caring that Tina’s staring at him. “…please.”

“Nines!”

Nines carefully takes Gavin’s hand off his wrist, shooting him one more concerned glance before following Fowler. The image of Nines walking away from him, that what they just did could be the last conversation they ever have, it makes Gavin startle terribly when his phone buzzes.

_Tina: wow you got it bad huh_

_Me: fuck off chen_

_Tina: for what its worth I’m sorry._

_Tina: you guys were good together_

_Me: you’re just upset that you’re not gonna win the bet anymore_

_Tina: you know i would’ve split the winnings with you_

Gavin allows himself a small smirk before he turns to his terminal with a sigh. if he’s losing his partner, he’d better fucking get used to doing all his paperwork himself. He’s immersing himself in the bullshit as much as he can before his phone buzzes again.

“Damnit, Tina, what do you want now,” he mutters, but it’s not Tina.

_Lt Ass-derson: look at the bullpen_

Gavin squints, glancing at Hank who just nods towards Fowler’s office. Gavin turns. His eyes widen.

Nines is standing there, pretty as a picture, his hands folded neatly behind his back. His back is turned so Gavin can’t see his face, but he can see Perkins’. The prick’s fucking _livid,_ his fat cheeks going purple, waving his arms like an enraged monkey. Even through the thick glass, Gavin can hear his shouting. He snickers, which then turns into a full-blown laugh when Nines simply cocks his head to the side and sends Perkins into another shouting spree.

_Me: it looks like a fucking chihuahua barking its fucking head off at a doberman_

_Lt. Ass-derson: don’t think he’s taken the offer._

“No shit,” Gavin chuckles. Is he’s right, Nines is…’politely refusing’ the offer.

He is mildly surprised when Perkins points at _him,_ though. Even through the glass, he can see the bastard glaring at him. He has to turn away when Nines looks at him, that fucking perfect ‘innocent’ look plastered across his face. He turns it into the ‘look-behind-you-then-back-like-you’re-surprised-they’re-looking-at-you’ thing, pointing to himself all ‘me?’

It makes Nines’ smirk, not that Perkins can see it.

Lazily getting to his feet, he leans against the divider between his and Nines’ desk, waiting until Perkins shoves his way around Fowler and wrenches the door open.

“Detective Reed, over here, now.”

“Is there a problem, agent?” Gavin folds his arms, not intending to go anywhere.

“Your… _android,”_ Perkins says through gritted teeth, “is being difficult.”

Pushing down the anger the bubbles up when Perkins treats Nines like a fucking tool, Gavin shrugs. “He’s not my android.”

“Well, then perhaps you would care to explain that more precisely,” Perkins says, staring at Nines like he’s a fucking prize, “because it thinks it’s attached to you.

“You must’ve misunderstood,” Gavin says, still pushing down his anger. “Allow me to clarify.”

“Excuse me?”

“Nines isn’t my android,” Gavin says, “ _he_ is his own person. He doesn’t need me to make decisions for him, he’s perfectly capable of making his own.”

He shrugs again, glancing at Nines. “Given the amount of processing power he has, he’d better be. I’d say he’s better at making decisions than anyone else in here. Save for Connor, ‘course.”

He nods to a curious-but-slowly-grinning Connor.

“No, Nines is more advanced,” Connor says evenly, nodding to Nines, “therefore he has the most sophisticated decision-making abilities.”

Nines nods in thanks as Gavin smirks. Hank eyes him and he shrugs again as he turns back to face Perkins, smiling when the agent’s face just keeps looking more and more constipated.

“Well, you heard it here,” he says, spreading his arms. “Nines is more than capable of making his own decisions. And good ones at that. If he’s made one you don’t like, well…”

He trails off, making weighing motions with his hands. “I don’t wanna call a spade a spade here, but…”

Hank snorts. Gavin can’t help the wide grin spreading across his face, especially when he sees Fowler try to hide his own laugh with a cough. Perkins whirls around, pointing an accusing finger at Nines.

“This isn’t over.”

“Yes,” Nines says easily, “it is. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” he continues, brushing past Perkins, “I have someactual work to do. Good day.”

Yeah, not even Fowler complains when the whole place erupts into cheers the second Perkins vanishes.

“The fuck did you say to him,” Gavin chuckles when everything’s calmed down a little and they’re seated at their desks, “he looked like he was about to explode.”

“Oh, I told him to go fuck himself.”

Gavin bursts out laughing again, which only doubles when he sees Nines’ self-satisfied smirk. “Oh _please_ tell me you recorded the whole thing.”

“Of course I did.”

“You gotta show me.”

“Later,” Nines promises, and then when he looks up at Gavin again he’s no longer this badass that just told a federal agent to go fuck himself. He’s back to that shy thing that was nervous about holding Gavin’s hand. “When I come over?”

Gavin nods, grin starting to hurt. “It’s a promise.”

“Thank you,” Nines murmurs, just for Gavin to hear, “for that.”

Gavin shrugs. “You think I’m gonna let just anyone waltz in here and steal you?”

Nines raises an eyebrow. “I thought I wasn’t your android.”

“Well, uh, I mean,” Gavin stutters, frowning when he sees Nines smirk again. “You asshole.”

“Sorry.”

“The hell you are.”

“You’re right,” Nines says, “I’m not.”

“Plastic prick,” Gavin mutters with no real heat. He’s about to get back to work when Nines speaks again.

“I don’t think I’d mind if I were your android.”

Gavin freezes, looking up to see a faint blue blush on Nines’ cheeks, his gaze unwavering. Gavin swallows.

“Yeah?”

“I’m still figuring things out,” Nines admits, “but…yes.”

Gavin breathes a sigh of relief. “Good. I don’t invite just _anyone_ to binge-watch movies and spoil my cat.”

“Speaking of which, are you going to attempt to convince me to leave early so we can get more in before I make you go to sleep?”

“Absolutely.”

“…if we get the work of the Wilson case done before lunch, we can leave at four.”

“Done.”

“There is no conceivable way you have completed all the paperwork already.”

“What? No, I just meant—oh, you’re an asshole.”

“If you keep falling for it—“

“Yeah, yeah, get your plastic ass in gear, tin can.”

“Whatever you say, Flexible Container of Mostly Water.”

“Nines!”

“Gavin.”

“Just get to work.”

“You’re the one still talking.”

“Just ‘cause you won’t stop replying!”

“Must you always have the last word?”

“Yes.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“You love me anyway. Oh shit, I mean—“

“Shh. I know, another turn of phrase.”

“Yeah…”

“I love you too.”

“Wait, really?”

“I think so…I’m still…figuring things out.”

“You take all the time you need.”

“…you’ll stay?”

“It’s alright. I’m right here.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Come yell at me on tumblr while we're all in quarantine. 
> 
> https://a-small-batch-of-dragons.tumblr.com/


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